Cannes imposes cruise ship limits in latest battle with overtourism

Cannes, the French Riviera resort that is synonymous with its glamourous film festival and summer getaways, has become the latest destination to roll up the red carpet and roll out overtourism management measures, saying enough is enough when it comes to cruise ship arrivals.

The city council has approved measures to limit the size of ships allowed to dock there and to cap the number of disembarking passengers at 6,000 per day. Set to come into force from 1 January 2026, the rules mean that cruise liners with more than 1,000 passengers will no longer be welcome at the port and instead will be forced to send passengers via smaller transfer boats to land.

Commenting on the plans, city mayor, David Lisnard, emphasised that the revenues generated by cruise arrivals were not in question, recognising that “Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits. It’s not about banning cruise ships, but about regulating, organizing, setting guidelines for their navigation,” he said in a statement.

🔴 « Cannes est devenue une destination de croisière majeure, avec des retombées économiques réelles. Il ne s’agit pas d’interdire les paquebots, mais de réguler, organiser, encadrer leur navigation de ces plateformes flottantes parfois très polluantes. » @davidlisnard pic.twitter.com/OgJprfqeIt

— Cannes (@villecannes) June 27, 2025

Cannes joins a growing list of port destinations across Europe, from neighbouring Nice, to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice, and various Greek islands, which are all now imposing restrictions on cruise operations, which they say overwhelm their cities with high numbers of low-spending day tourists. France is the most-visited country in the world and Cannes alone draws in around three million visitors annually.

However, cruise operators have expressed concerns about the effect of such moves on the industry, decrying the effect on itineraries and the reduction of their offer as a result of the port restrictions which, they say, diminish the passenger experience and disappoint expectations.

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An association with high-end tourism gives Cannes an enviable position when it comes to cutting visitor numbers. Like the Louvre, which recently announced new opening hours and reconfigured access to the Mona Lisa, after staff went on strike claiming they were “chronically understaffed” and exhausted by “unmanageable crowds,” Cannes can afford to focus on increasing visitor spend without worrying too much about visitor numbers. Cannes’ approach fits in with a wider awareness across France of the need to build a sustainable tourism model in a country that is not afraid to stand up for its worth.

Commenting on the measures, Travel and Tour World (TTW) said “Tourists and travel operators alike will need to embrace these changes, understanding that responsible tourism will be key to preserving these timeless destinations for future generations.”